A Rajya Sabha member of the Congress party on Wednesday (February 11, 2026) expressed concern over the rising mental health crisis among adolescents due to social media, saying the "youth are not able to identify the reality and the fantasy world".
In recent weeks, there have been instances of young students ending their lives, apparently due to ill-effects, including loneliness and isolation, triggered by excessive use of online platforms.
Raising the issue in the Rajya Sabha during the Zero Hour, Congress MP Jebi Mather Hisham referred to an incident from Chotanikara, near Kochi, where a 16-year-old girl allegedly ended her life as she was under grief following the death of an online friend.
The MP said she spoke with her teacher and principal this morning, and they shared the concern about how social media is influencing youth and adolescents.
"They share the concern that the children, these adolescents, youth are not able to identify the reality and the fantasy world. They'll create a virtual world, influenced by social media, and especially they share the concern of this Korean content, online games, and pop that is available in the country now," Ms. Hisham said.
